France’s far-right Front National party is facing a corruption investigation into financial irregularities in the European Parliament.
Allegations have been made that it fraudulently paid as much as €7.5 million to 20 assistants.
Under parliamentary rules, the assistants could only undertake work which was directly linked MEPs. The European Parliament claims that the workers were listed instead on a French roster.
The matter was serious enough for the Parliament’s president to say he had formally notified the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) over potential irregularities.
Suspicions were raised after the FN published a staff directory on its website indicating that many MEP assistants worked from its Nanterre headquarters, leading to the concern that they could be working for the party rather than for MEPs.
In some cases the assistants were shown on the website not to be working for the MEPs listed on their employment contracts, said the European Parliament.
FN leader Marine Le Pen, who is also an MEP, said her party was the victim of "huge political manipulation".
Local elections in France are scheduled for March 22 and 29 and polls indicate the FN could win a number of places.
Last May it won 23 seats in the European Parliament, more than any other French party.
